Christchurch Earthquake Case Study

The cause, effects and responses to the Christchurch Earthquake.

Christchurch Earthquake Case Study

A case study of an earthquake in a HIC.

What caused the Christchurch earthquake?

The earthquake occurred at 12.51pm on 22nd February 2011. The earthquake measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale and, at 4.99 km deep, was very shallow. The earthquake occurred along a conservative margin between the Pacific Plate and the Australasian Plate. Take a look at the Christchurch earthquake animated map to see the swarm of foreshocks and aftershocks.

What were the effects of the Christchurch earthquake?

The primary effects included:

185 people were killed

312 people were injured

6800 people received minor injuries

100,000 properties were damaged and 10,000 were demolished by the earthquake

$28 billion of damage was caused

water and sewerage pipes were damaged

the cathedral spire collapsed

liquefaction destroyed many roads and buildings

The video below shows the effects of the earthquake one minute after it struck.

The secondary effects included:

2200 people had to live in temporary housing

five Rugby World Cup matches were cancelled

schools were closed for two weeks

1/5 of the population migrated from the city

many businesses were closed for a long time

two large aftershocks struck Christchurch less than 4 months after the city was devastated

What were the immediate responses to the Christchurch earthquake?

The immediate responses included:

around $6-7 million of international aid was provided

The Red Cross and other charities supplied aid workers

more than 300 Australian police officers flew into Christchurch three days after the earthquake. They were sworn in with New Zealand policing powers and worked alongside New Zealand officers enforcing law and order and reassuring the people of Christchurch

What were the long-term responses to the Christchurch earthquake?

The long-term responses included:

the construction of around 10k affordable homes

water and sewage were restored by August 2011

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